God, who gave iron, purposed ne'er <br />That man should be a slave: <br />Therefore the sabre, sword, and spear <br />In his right hand He gave. <br />Therefore He gave him fiery mood, <br />Fierce speech, and free-born breath, <br />That he might fearlessly the feud <br />Maintain through life and death. <br /> <br />Therefore will we what God did say, <br />With honest truth, maintain, <br />And ne'er a fellow-creature slay, <br />A tyrant's pay to gain! <br />But he shall fall by stroke of brand <br />Who fights for sin and shame, <br />And not inherit German land <br />With men of German name. <br /> <br />O Germany, bright fatherland! <br />O German love, so true! <br />Thou sacred land, thou beauteous land, <br />We swear to thee anew! <br />Outlawed, each knave and coward shall <br />The crow and raven feed; <br />But we will to the battle all-- <br />Revenge shall be our meed. <br /> <br />Flash forth, flash forth, whatever can, <br />To bright and flaming life! <br />Now all ye Germans, man for man, <br />Forth to the holy strife! <br />Your hands lift upward to the sky-- <br />Your heart shall upward soar-- <br />And man for man, let each one cry, <br />Our slavery is o'er! <br /> <br />Let sound, let sound, whatever can, <br />Trumpet and fife and drum, <br />This day our sabres, man for man, <br />To stain with blood we come; <br />With hangman's and with Frenchmen's blood, <br />O glorious day of ire, <br />That to all Germans soundeth good-- <br />Day of our great desire! <br /> <br />Let wave, let wave, whatever can, <br />Standard and banner wave! <br />Here will we purpose, man for man, <br />To grace a hero's grave. <br />Advance, ye brave ranks, hardily-- <br />Your banners wave on high; <br />We'll gain us freedom's victory, <br />Or freedom's death we'll die!<br /><br />Ernst Moritz Arndt<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/patriotic-song/
